Patrol hands out nearly 16,000 seat belt tickets in a week

Several arrests were made and 15,992 motorists were cited statewide for not wearing their seat belt during Click It or Ticket Week, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol.

During the 2013 Click It or Ticket campaign May 20 to June 2, an additional 530 people were cited statewide for child-restraint violations. Officers arrested 2,180 impaired drivers and conducted 1,455 felony arrests, according to a release from the patrol.

Click It or Ticket week illustrates the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies working together for a common cause, said Thomas Charles, director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

During the campaign, 500 law enforcement agencies around Ohio worked 148,958 hours.

“Lives were saved because of the diligence of these officers to enforce Ohio’s motor vehicle laws,” Charles said.